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 Post subject: How to drive for less
PostPosted: Fri Jan 04, 2013 18:44 
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I've found myself in the same situation I was in when I returned from America after two years working there, in 1999. I lost all my NCB :-(

This appears to be the norm with all insurers if you haven't had car insurance for two years or more; well all the ones I have tried. So by submitting a particular car reg I was interested in I found the cheapest quote I could get was £460, as opposed to £170 if I could use the NCD I'd accumulated but allowed to expire :-(

Now I know there will be younger people, women as well as men now, (separate argument), who will be envious of that price. But I'm 54 now and after a lifetime of paying for everyone else's mistakes, and none from me, that bugged me!

So I am fortunate to have a contact who knew someone selling a mint-condition Nissan Micra from 1991 on which I can use Classic Car insurance. :-) It's generally anything over 20 years old.

The dear elderly lady didn't know the real value of it, but you'd be very hard pushed to find such a pristine example at such a low mileage. So when she said £250 my jaw dropped! There was no way I was going to take advantage of her, and she's been to hell and back in her personal life last year, so I insisted on giving her £400 for it. (Which nearly brought her to tears that someone is so kind/honest in this day and age).

I felt she had a fair price and I've got a great old car. My insurance quote now is £260, as a classic car. Not as good as it would have been if I could have used the NCD I'd accumulated, but a lot better than all the quotes I was getting as a newbe.

So I'm back on the road again for £660, all in, which will save me risking life and limb on two wheels this winter...

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PostPosted: Fri Jan 04, 2013 22:19 
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But you may be mistaken for a "Micra driver" :P

Incidentally, I am 53, 10+ years' no claims, no convictions, one minor car-park knock in the past five years, driving a SEAT Ibiza, recently paid £456 to renew my insurance :x

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PostPosted: Fri Jan 04, 2013 22:40 
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PeterE wrote:
But you may be mistaken for a "Micra driver" :P
:lol: Yeah, my street cred will take a dive for sure. Good job I'm handsome :D

PeterE wrote:
Incidentally, I am 53, 10+ years' no claims, no convictions, one minor car-park knock in the past five years, driving a SEAT Ibiza, recently paid £456 to renew my insurance :x
:o Hec!!! Time to get a 20+ year old Micra? :wink:

I feel I've done well. Oh, one drawback btw. You don't add to your NCB; they don't take it into account and It's not something which will help you if/when you decide to get 'normal' insurance. So maybe long term It's not so viable...

Add: And I'm limited to 3,000 miles per year - but that's okay cuz I can't afford the petrol anyway, or food, heating a room, breathing...

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You will be branded a threat to society by going over a speed limit where it is safe to do so, and suffer the consequences of your actions in a way criminals do not, more so than someone who is a real threat to our society.


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PostPosted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 02:46 
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Very pleased that you have found a cheap 4 wheel winter drive about ! :)

A lot safer for sure ... Now you can shelve the leathers for a while!

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PostPosted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 10:25 
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Thanks Claire :-) I was tempted to opt for 1500 miles a year, which would have taken my premium down to just £170, but knowing the British weather...

I'm collecting it later today; you won't believe the condition. I may take a pic or two later. Although I post this to be helpful to others in these austere times, the truth is It's hard to get a trusted old car with a good history like mine. It's only had two owners, both were elderly and took great pride in maintaining it. Always kept in a garage too and hardly used. (The car that is, not the owners :D )

Her husband nearly died last year but, thankfully, is pulling through. He's due home soon, which is great news for them both, but he'll never drive again sadly. So, as I was saying, I didn't want to rip them off at this hard time. Well, I wouldn't anyway.

You might expect a lot of troubles with old cars but I've got a good feeling about this one and the Micra had an excellent record for reliability. (Good Japanese build quality).

Yep, the leathers are hung up although the weather we've had lately has been like an early Spring :-D I'm in no doubt its just the calm before the storm though.. :-(

It wasn't that long ago, after the clocks went back, I was riding to work on my motorbike looking at ice and frost just inches from my front wheel; on top of which some morons pulled out in front of me because wearing my hi-viz jacket on a bright orange motorbike with four :censored: lights at the front obviously isn't visible enough for some :x

I don't know how these numptys pass a test!!!

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You will be branded a threat to society by going over a speed limit where it is safe to do so, and suffer the consequences of your actions in a way criminals do not, more so than someone who is a real threat to our society.


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PostPosted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 15:48 
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[rant]
This is something that annoys me. I can only claim for 9 years NCB, although I could possibly go back about 20 or more years . (Possibly longer). But on a protected NCB I get 2 claims in 5 years , which would drop me a lot of NCB . [/rant]
But to those younger drivers - make the system work for you .Something the insurance companies don't want you to know is that having an old codger on your policy =£££££ off. I'm (almost) 66 ,with about 47 years behind the wheel . As above, I'm entitled to a massive NCB and no nasties on my licence . My daughter has held her licence for about 10 years and still gets a nice discount for having Dad on her policy. I don't ever need to drive her car, just be on the policy . So Tone - go find that ancient aunt, with a licence and put her on the policy .
Looking at Tone's bit-I was in darkest Africa some years ago (it could be called a banana republic as thnat was the Presidents name), an bought a small car. Insurance ,as in UK ,was compulsary.I'd taken my last renewal with me and found to my surprise that on an old banger I'd pay a lot less fully comp than third party due to my UK NCB.I hired a car in RSA ,and offerd a choice of licences ,the RSA hire company opted for my UK one.

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Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on


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PostPosted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 16:44 
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That's interesting and new to me Dave. Are you saying your daughter's own insurance, in her name on her own car, is cheaper by having you on it as an additional driver? Haven't heard that before. I've got an uncle Tony who's 82ish I might give a call if that's the case :-)

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The views expressed in this post are personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of Safe Speed.
You will be branded a threat to society by going over a speed limit where it is safe to do so, and suffer the consequences of your actions in a way criminals do not, more so than someone who is a real threat to our society.


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PostPosted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 19:10 
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Just had to take my wife off our insurance for medical reasons, so leaving her there would mean the policy was invalid.
She never drove it anyway, taking her off has put the premium up nearly £30 a month :loco:
Now worth cancelling early, paying any fees & getting a new policy.


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PostPosted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 19:50 
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Sorry to hear that ed. Hope It's nothing.. well.. bad?

I think my argument I've always used on SS about 'if you want to know who the biggest risks are ask insurance companies' is looking weak :oops: They're obviously just greedy morons.

What I have mentioned before is the absurdity or obsession with limits. So, in my case, here we go again.

My insurance would be half if I'd got re-insured a day before two years but one day after the two year cut-off point point and I've somehow suddenly become a crap driver with nil experience. :loco:

AND YET I'VE NEVER STOPPED 1) RIDING MY MOTORBIKE ON PUBLIC ROADS AND 2) HAVE BEEN DOING ~25,000 MILES A YEAR, YEAR AFTER YEAR, IN FOUR DIFFERENT VEHICLES AT WORK!

All worth a big fat zero! If that's not moo poo I don't know what is! :x

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The views expressed in this post are personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of Safe Speed.
You will be branded a threat to society by going over a speed limit where it is safe to do so, and suffer the consequences of your actions in a way criminals do not, more so than someone who is a real threat to our society.


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PostPosted: Sun Jan 06, 2013 13:49 
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Big Tone wrote:
That's interesting and new to me Dave. Are you saying your daughter's own insurance, in her name on her own car, is cheaper by having you on it as an additional driver? Haven't heard that before. I've got an uncle Tony who's 82ish I might give a call if that's the case :-)

Last renewal it saved her over £100 . But recently she got aniother car and there was no difference. Suspect it depends on insurance co .

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lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on


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PostPosted: Sun Jan 06, 2013 14:23 
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If you go via a broker you can offer negotiate discounts. You've had a bike for that time so I don't see why they can't take that into account. Ditto access to company vehicles. Many brokers talk to the underwriters directly and will be able to get discounts. Carole Nash do bikes and I think cars now so worth checking them out and see if they can do better. http://www.carolenash.com/other-insurance/car/

Adding another named driver often lowers insurance. It's a game playing exercise to some degree. Adding a parent onto a child's insurance, even if they'll never drive the car will often lower it.

There's a lot to be said for staying dry :D


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